Brawner confirms telling Chinese envoy not to block resupply missions, Christmas convoy

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. on Wednesday evening said he had a discussion with the Chinese ambassador about resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea.

“Nag-usap kami ni [Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian] noong minsang nagkita kami. Sinabi ko sa kanya na that is not your territory. In fact, sinabi ko, that is our Exclusive Economic Zone. So, please do not block our resupply ships,” he said in a radio interview.

(I talked to Ambassador Huang when we met once. I told him that this is not your territory, in fact, that is our Exclusive Economic Zone. So, please do not block our resupply ships.)

“Sinabihan ko rin siya na huwag nilang i-block ‘yung Christmas convoy. Sabi ko mga civilians ‘yun, do not block, they're just merely bringing Christmas food and gifts to our soldiers and the communities in the West Philippine Sea.” 

(I also told him not to block the Christmas convoy. I informed him that they were civilians and merely bringing Christmas food and gifts to our soldiers and the communities in the West Philippine Sea.)

However, Brawner said the Chinese ambassador replied by insisting that the area was China’s territory.

“Sinabi nga niya na, ‘You are provoking us.’ So sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘No, you are the ones provoking us,” Brawner said.

(He said ‘You are provoking us.’ So I told him, ‘No, you are the ones provoking us.)

On Monday, one of the boats that were part of the civilian-led Christmas convoy to the West Philippine Sea was able to slip pass through Chinese vessels and arrived at Lawak Island.

But over the weekend, the China Coast Guard (CCG) fired water cannons on Philippine vessels in two separate incidents.

On Saturday, a CCG vessel water cannoned vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) headed to Bajo de Masinloc to distribute supplies to fisherfolk in the area. 

The next day, Sunday, Philippine vessels on a regular rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal was also water cannoned by the CCG. According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), one of the vessels, the M/L Kalayaan, suffered serious engine damage and had to be towed back to Palawan. 

'Escalating' aggression

Meanwhile, Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, chief of the AFP Western Command, said the military was preparing for an escalation of China's aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.

"It’s already escalating. As I said, it started with laser (pointing), then we're now at water cannon(ing). We expect more coercive actions from China, short of armed attack," Carlos said in a television interview on Wednesday night.

The escalation of China's harassment, Carlos said, may lead to high-speed ramming and boarding of Philippine vessels.

"After the water cannon is probably ramming, and also they will attempt board our vessels, which is something that we will not allow them to do," said Carlos, adding that, "So these are short of armed attack because they know that (armed attacks) will trigger our Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States."

Under the 1951 pact, Manila and Washington agree that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on either the Philippines or the United States would be dangerous and that they would act to meet the "common dangers" in accordance with constitutional processes.

'Professional, restrained'

For its part, China on Monday said that the moves by its Coast Guard against Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea were "professional" and "restrained," adding it had "lodged stern representations" with Manila.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing's Coast Guard "took necessary measures against the Philippine ships in accordance with domestic and international law."

"The operations were professional, restrained, reasonable and legal," she said — VAL, VDV, GMA Integrated News